Broadcasting charge will be levied on every home in the country

CelticRambler wrote: »

Some of you here need to get out a lot more. Just because ye can sit comfortably on your Irish sofa watching (or listening to) the best examples of what's produced elsewhere doesn't mean that the standards are better everywhere else. I agree that there are some egos in RTE that are paid ridiculous amounts of money when the same funds could be used to employ ten equally talented, less "because I'm worth it" presenters BUT even though I don't live in Ireland and don't have a TV, I listen now to RTE (1, Lyric & RnG) more than I ever did before because it DOES provide quality broadcasting equal to, or better than, other countries. In fact, even though I live in France, the only way I can listen to French trad music on the radio is by tuning in to RTE.

Well said - I personally think some of the output of Lyric is world-class. John Kelly plays excellent eclectic stuff on a daily basis. Likewise Bernard Clarke is one of the most knowledgeable presenters and one of the most interesting shows (Nova on LyricFM - which has also won awards) I'd urge non listeners to give either John Kelly or Bernard Clarke a go on the Rte Player.

However, that is not where the money goes, in fact Nova is only back to two hours now after being cut from three to one. This for one of RTE's internationally award-winning shows.

Akrasia wrote: »

I would happily pay the BBC licence fee because of the David Attenborough and horizon series'. BBC regularly devotes prime time slots to local wildlife shows or astronomy and they have lectures and pop science shows. RTE are not a public service broadcaster.

You can already get all the BBC channels subscription free, as well as all the other free-to-air UK channels, on top of the Irish channels, for a fee that is less than that paid by UK residents.

Unless the new charge is more than the current UK TV Licence, then you will still have the best of both worlds.

People will always disagree on what public service broadcasting money should be spent on. Personally, I would be quite happy to have RTE reduced to a few hours a day of advertisement-free broadcasting.

darjeeling wrote: »

I don't have a TV, don't listen to RTE radio and don't use their web services. I don't see why should I now have to pay 200 quid a year for RTE.

Same here - in fact, I bought a monitor with speakers (and extra speakers because the speakers in the monitor aren't loud enough) and a DVD that connects to the monitor specifically so I could watch DVDs without owning a TV and without having to pay the TV tax. I don't watch RTE player because (a) I've no interest in the programs they provide and (b) my internet connection isn't really fast enough for watching stuff online.

It's three years since I got rid of my TV and I don't miss it one small bit. I stayed in a hotel for two nights last year and watched a bit of TV, but it didn't take long for me to remember why I had come to the conclusion I didn't need/want to have a TV in my house.

I've only just started to get my head round the fact I'll have to pay a penalty (sorry, tax) for having a mortgage/house that isn't rented and now I'm supposed to get myself prepared to pay whatever sum of money for a service I haven't used in years and have no intention of using in the future.

I hope this goes the same way it's gone every year it has been dragged out of the 'ways to tax people to the hilt' box - by the wayside. Money for old rope; going from the pockets of those who can't afford in to the excessive pay-packets of those who have plenty.

Pat Rabbitte, I want my vote back. You have literally done or achieved nothing that you said you would.

Swanning into the local pub watching the Liverpool game pretending to be the 'man on the street'. Youve lost your roots, youve lost the ideals you were known for in college. The smell of green has embroiled you and you have destroyed the face of labour along with your cohorts.

Give me my vote back.

cgh wrote: »

why dont they just levy a services charge on every household that includes Property, water and now broadcasting.
sure while they are it, a road mantenance tax too for the road outside your house. if you have central heating you can pay a carbon tax too on it. so every household can be just as shagged as the next.
its all stealth taxes. I pay my PAYE, USC and PRSI, levies on my insurances, VAT and all the other taxes they bring in.
and now these. at this rate I may as well just give my pay directly to the tax man for all the good its doing.

Maybe they should just get your paypacket and give you a weekly allowance to live on. That might suit Pat better.

To those who don't think we should disband RTE;what is wrong with just selling it and let the market decide. They have the lions share of advertisning revenue as it is and they also get almost all of the license fee yet they still run a deficit. They don't seem to think they need to cut their cloth appropriately. With this new fee that will be imposed on people who do not have TV's and do not watch RTE, RTE are effectively being subsidised to continue their profligacy at the expense of their competitors. The reason given for this? it's for our own good. Who decides this? Even if this is the case, how is paying large sums of money for Eastenders and countless second rate American TV shows of cultural benefit to citizens of Ireland? Apart from the fact that they can see all of these programmes elsewhere. What is the reasoning behind showing highlights of the English premiership while domestic soccer struggles in this country? How is that enriching the country?
Make no mistake, this charge is being imposed to sustain the gravy train in RTE so that they can carry on regardless. Gay Byrne and Mike Murphy can rely on RTE to throw them some money when they need it. Lyric FM can be there to provide George Hamilton,Eileen Dunne,Marty Whelan and the aforementioned Byrne with a nice few extra quid.
There is no reason why,if people want to watch RTE online they can pay for it using a PIN number or whatever.
The days of the state being involved in broadcasting in any way should have been over a long time ago. It's an antiquated idea that serves no real purpose. Apart from enriching its employees of course.

yosser hughes wrote: »

To those who don't think we should disband RTE;what is wrong with just selling it and let the market decide. They have the lions share of advertisning revenue as it is and they also get almost all of the license fee yet they still run a deficit. They don't seem to think they need to cut their cloth appropriately. With this new fee that will be imposed on people who do not have TV's and do not watch RTE, RTE are effectively being subsidised to continue their profligacy at the expense of their competitors. The reason given for this? it's for our own good. Who decides this? Even if this is the case, how is paying large sums of money for Eastenders and countless second rate American TV shows of cultural benefit to citizens of Ireland? Apart from the fact that they can see all of these programmes elsewhere. What is the reasoning behind showing highlights of the English premiership while domestic soccer struggles in this country? How is that enriching the country?
Make no mistake, this charge is being imposed to sustain the gravy train in RTE so that they can carry on regardless. Gay Byrne and Mike Murphy can rely on RTE to throw them some money when they need it. Lyric FM can be there to provide George Hamilton,Eileen Dunne,Marty Whelan and the aforementioned Byrne with a nice few extra quid.
There is no reason why,if people want to watch RTE online they can pay for it using a PIN number or whatever.
The days of the state being involved in broadcasting in any way should have been over a long time ago. It's an antiquated idea that serves no real purpose.

I disagree with this. If you want to see an Irish tv station thats privatley run and the type of tv it would show, just look at TV3.

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

I don't think Mike Murphy has been on in yonks, whereas Gaybo gets dusted off and propped up for a new show every few months.

Mike Murphy had a forgettable and needless show last year where he interviewed people that have been interviewed many many times before. This happened shortly after it was revealed he had 'suffered' losses in the property crash. He was head of a property company.

It bugs me that for the past few years, we've seen more and more taxes and charges that bear little relation to earning levels. The USC is less sensitive to increased earnings than PAYE, and now we're moving to what is effectively a poll tax. If it really is a general public good, then increase taxation to cover it and at least have the decency not to hit low earners with the same charge as high earners.

Its an internet tax nomatter how they try to dress it up

They would want to be broadcasting pron for that charge